Call of Caldiria chapter 2

Call of Caldiria Chapter 2.

             Marike looked out over the Shimmering Expanse and smiled. Today was the day that she was finally going to set sail over the blue waters, to feel the wind rush through her hair. She was ready to feel alive!

             “Hey. Greenskin.” She turned around as a fifteen-foot Perdition walked up to her. “You are the new crewmate we hired on, right?” Marike nodded her head. “Good. Then you can haul this on board.” The massive man tossed her a bag that he had been carrying in his lower left arm; the weight of it almost sent her to her knees. “What? That little thing too much for you to handle, Veleren?”

             She snorted as she stood up. “I can handle my own weight. Why can’t you carry this? You have four burly arms.”

             The Perdition snorted. “What, and not get a chance to break in the Greenskin? You have to earn your keep newbie.” He turned around. “We ship off in an hour. Don’t be late.” He walked away.

             Marike laughed. “Like I am going to miss a chance like this.” She set the flour bag down and looked back out over the ocean. “It has been my dream to sail on a skyship. I am not going to miss it for the world.”

             ***

             An hour later, Marike stood on the deck of the Madiens Breath. Velerens and Perditions walked all about. Any time the sky cutter would take off into the air, and her dream would come true. Sure, it was a simple delivery. They were going to a remote island to drop off cargo, but it was okay. It would be Marike’s first time flying, and she would savor the experience, even if her job was just to clean the deck and keep inventory.

             Their captain walked up to her. “So, this is your first time on a sky cutter?” Marike nodded. “Just stay calm and keep your head about you, and you will do fine.”

             Marike smiled. “Thank you for the advice.”

             He turned around. “Okay, boys and girls. We are taking off. Get to your positions.” He looked at Marike for a second. “And get below deck, cabin girl.”

             Marike’s breath left her. “I. . .” She looked at the wood beneath her feet. “Yes, captain.” As the sails lifted and the engines purred, she slowly walked towards the door leading to the ship’s depths. “I can’t believe it. My first chance at being at sailing and I am going to be stuck below deck. Curse Velork.”

             ***

             Markie awoke with a start as thunder rang in the distance. She had dozed off when no one was looking, and now the world outside was a raging black void. The young woman stumbled to a nearby window, trying to figure out just what was happening, only for the cold-cutting wind to hit her in the face.

             “We need all available hands-on deck!”

             Marike looked around, unsure of what she should do. Then moments later, a young Veleran lad rushed up to her and grabbed her by the shoulder. “What are you doing here? The captain wants all available hands up on the deck.”

             She gripped her hands before following him. The rain was pouring down, and the waves below were thrashing about. She had never seen a storm this bad before.

             “I want all sails tied down now.”

             Marike gulped. She had no experience with this and part of her wanted to go back below deck. “No. You didn’t come on board to chicken out in the hold for your entire life. You want to prove yourself do it now.” She shivered as a bolt of lightning shot through the air like a spear, hitting the ocean.

             “What is wrong, Greenskin?” The Perdition who had greeted her on the docks laughed at her despite the rage of the storm. “Feel like you should head back home and hide?”

             Marike snorted. “No.”

             He tossed her a rope. “Tie yourself down and help the others. Just try not to get in the way.”

             She tied herself to the deck before turning her attention to the nearest sail. Two Velerans and a red-skinned Perdition were hard at work trying to tie it down, but the winds were not helping. She grabbed hold of one of the lines, helping pull the sail down. Slowly, inch by inch, they forced it downward. Then the burly four armed Perdition tied the sail shut.

             “I need some help over here. We need to get Larson down!”

             Marike’s eyes shot across the deck, squinting through the darkness. She spotted a man in the crow’s nest, his hands grasping at the slick, wet wood. “Help!” She looked around, but no one was near enough to him, and with the wind causing the ship to jostle about violently, it was only a matter of time before he fell. She gripped her hands into fists, knowing what she had to do. Marike untied the rope around her and dashed in his direction.

             “What the hell are you doing, Greenskin!” Her Perdition buddy from the docks tried to grab her. “Don’t you dare remove your safely line.”

             Marike suddenly grew to match his size, pushing the burly man back. “I know what I am doing!” His eyes filled with fear. “Now, back off.” Her size kept increasing, her clothing ripping apart. “It’s okay. I got you.” The man suddenly screamed as his grip gave out. But she was already there, grabbing him as a mother would a child. “You are safe.”

             He squirmed about in her hands. “Let me go, you Sizeran freak.”

             “I just saved your life.” She slowly shrank down. “Be thankful.” She set him down before returning to her original height. Moments later, ropes wrapped around her, tying her up so she couldn’t move. “What are you doing?”

             The captain walked to her. “You didn’t tell me you were a Sizeran.”

             She sneered at him. “So what?”

             “I don’t want you on my ship. You could have sent us all to the abyss with that little trick due to the change in your weight. You put us all in danger.”

             “What? Was I to let him die? Are you insane?”

             The captain raised his voice. “You want to kill us all for the sake of one man! You should be ashamed of yourself.” He grabbed her by the neck. “Your kind have been responsible for so much pain ever since the Lunastates died off. Why do you think you are banned from Anchorhead?”

             She sneered at him. “Is that so? My people, as you put it so bluntly, have been slowly vanishing because people hate us. And what did they do? They just wanted to live isolated. You fucking hate us because we can change in size, be so much bigger than the rest of you! The thought of one of us stepping on you like paste bothers you more than you can bear to think!”

             “Silence!”

             “Why!” Tears filled her eyes. “I have had to live my life being afraid of people like you.” She looked down at the deck. “I just wanted to have fun, to live my life and see what it was like to fly, to touch the sky.” She looked the captain directly in the eye. “What in Velork is wrong with you to think that because I can change in size that I am some. . . some cursed bitch!”

             “I said silence!” She punched her in the gut. “If it wasn’t for saving my crewmate, I would throw you into the brig. I will let you slide if you promise to never come anywhere close to a sky ship again.” He dropped her. “I will maybe get that. I even saw you.”

             Tears filled her eyes. She didn’t want to give up on her dream. But what choice did she have? “I. . . I” She looked him in the eyes. “Before I answer I have to say this. I hate you. 

I fucking hate you.” She snorted. “But I agree. It’s better than being locked in a cell.”

             “Good answer bitch. Now, don’t you dare try and change in size again; otherwise, I will have my men try and end your miserable life.” He turned around. “Throw her in the hold until we get back to Anchorhead.” He looked at Marike. “Then I want to get as far away from this filth as possible.”